A Day of Surprises
by Gaaraxluvr
Summary: Hal sends Kilowag and Razer out on a mission while he and Aya stay behind on the ship working on a secret project. Mostly Kilowag/Razer dialoguing. No ships, just a good, clean sidestory. R&R plz. Told mostly from Razer's perspective.
1. Awake

**GL:TAS fanfic**

**"A Day of Surprises"**

Synopsis: Hal sends Kilowag and Razer out on a mission while he and Aya stay behind on the ship working on a secret project. Mostly Kilowag/Razer dialoguing. No ships, just a good, clean sidestory. R&R plz. Told mostly from Razer's PoV.

***Disclaimer* I do not own Green Lantern: The Animated Series or any of its characters. If I did, I would be DC comics. And instead of a fanfic, this would be an actual episode of GL. Common sense, people.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Awake**

In the deep void of space, time distinctions like "day" and "night" are meaningless. But on the _Interceptor_, it was the beginning of _a _day for its four occupants. When Aya's auto-wake settings activated, she detected a small abnormality on the ship. Green Lantern Hal Jordan, who usually slept well past her automated alarms, was already awake. He sat in the main controls room, staring at a small screen. Curious as to the cause of this data abnormality, Aya activated her vocal program.

"_Green Lantern Hal Jordan?"_

"Yes, Aya?"

"_Is something the matter? It is unusual for you to be up at this hour."_

"No, nothing's wrong. I'm just doing a bit of research, that's all."

"_Research? Perhaps I can be of some assistance. What is the subject matter of your interest?"_

Hal tapped on a few keys and a virtual display of a calendar came up. On it, the current date was highlighted in green. He then touched the virtual display and two words materialized. Aya processed this.

"On my planet, it's a pretty special occasion. That's why I wanted to do something about it. I might need an extra set of hands though. You up for the job?"

Aya transferred her consciousness into her android form and assembled beside Jordan in seconds.

"_Simply instruct me in what you wish to accomplish."_

Hal flashed a smile at his eager new assistant.

"Well, for starters," he said, directing his gaze toward where the other lanterns still slept, "We need a way to keep those two out of the house for a while…"

* * *

After a brief and meager breakfast, Razer made his way to the control room. All the rest of the crew were already seated there. Hal, usually the last to arrive, was also present. But that didn't interest the Red Lantern in the slightest. He took his usual spot on the bridge, a seat purposefully apart from the others, and rested his chin on his fist. This had the effect of making him look like he was sulking, but really Razer just brooded.

_Will we encounter Red Lanterns today? What is Atrocitous plotting next? Will we have the strength to face his numbers?_

Nowadays such thoughts played through his mind in an endless cycle. Unanswered, they pestered him like the buzz of insects he couldn't swat. And this uncertainty made him irritable, feeding his anger. This, some part of him knew, would help fuel his ring and make him stronger. But mainly it just brought him torment that stretched minutes into hours.

"Hey, Poozer!"

Oh yes, and there was one other thing that grated on his nerves.

"Yer late, runt. What's the big idea making us wait?"

Razer didn't turn or face the lantern general, but his tone was colored with annoyance.

"Just because I was the _last _to arrive does not mean I am _late._"

"_Razer's words are accurate," _Aya chimed in, _"There are, in fact, still three minutes remaining until the morning assembly was scheduled to start." _

Kilowag grunted, "Well, whatever. In any case, we'll be continuing our search for allies in the next inhabited sector. Plus, if we see any more dirty Reds skulking about, we'll bash them up and haul them off to the nearest penitentiary."

Razer's eyelids drooped and he sighed. Same as always. Every day for the last week had been like this, travelling on and on with no action. His limbs ached to do something rather than sit slumped in a chair all day. From the postures of the other two lanterns, he assumed they felt the same. If it were not for the damaged ship they travelled in, their destination could be reached in minutes and they wouldn't have to suffer this problem.

"Wait a sec," said Hal, "There's actually something else we might need to do today."

Both Razer and Kilowag fixed their eyes on the Earthling questioningly.

Hal turned to the android form of the AI, "Aya, tell them what you were telling me earlier."

For a moment, the android gave Hal a blank, uncomprehending look. Then, seeming to remember something, she straightened.

"Yes. There is good news. On a nearby planet, I have detected trace signs of an element that may speed the repairs of the damage sustained by the ultra-warp coil."

Kilowag jumped out of his seat, "What? Well why didn't you say so sooner! Take us there Aya."

The AI accepted the commands and altered the ship's coordinates, veering toward a ruddy colored planet in the distance.

Razer didn't let his relief show, but he was really almost giddy at the prospect of getting off the ship and stretching his legs. At this point, he would take any excuse as long as it meant some exercise. Getting back up from the chair, he headed for his room, intending to make sure he had a fully charged ring before departure. As he left, he caught sight of Hal Jordan. Was it just him or did the human look…smug?

_No matter. It's none of my concern. _He brushed off the observation carelessly.

As the automated door closed behind him, the rust colored planet loomed closer, casting a faint, mysterious glow.

* * *

It took roughly fourty-five minutes for the _Interceptor _to safely land on the alien planet. Enough time for Razor and Kilowag to fully prepare themselves, recharge their power rings, and come up with a plan for action.

"Remind me again why it is you can't come, Jordan?" Kilowag said.

"I hardly think this job requires three lanterns," he replied, "Besides, remember what happened the last time we left the ship unguarded?"

He was referring, of course, to the incident on the planet Mogo where the _Interceptor _was nearly hijacked by bandits.

"Yeah, alright. I see yer point. But I still don't like it if it means I have to be alone with Poozer…"

He shot a nasty glance at the red lantern who was once again sitting as physically far from Kilowag and Hal as possible. His glare was returned with equal malice.

"Believe me, I take no more pleasure in your company than you do in mine."

Kilowag turned back to Hal and lowered his voice slightly. "There's really no need for this guy to come, Jordan. I can find this stuff all by myself."

Hal fidgeted, trying to come up with a reason both needed to go. However, Razer still overheard what was said and, not wanting to remain on the ship, saved Hal the trouble.

"Oh Please. You probably just don't want me to come so you can waste time lollygagging without anyone around to see."

Kilowag's ears flattened to his head in irritation.

"Dream on, Poozer! Just shut yer trap and get moving. I don't want you holding me up."

As Kilowag and Razer made their way down the exit ramp, Aya gave the two a little more information about the planet.

"_This is Orbital 2174 in the Qua-rayn Sector. Because it hosts no native life forms, it does not have another designation. My databases instruct that it is a fairly young planet, only twenty to thirty million years old. The surface is barren, but geothermal activity earlier in the planet's life has left thousands of underground tunnels and caverns where lava once flowed." _

"Duly noted," said Kilowag, "Now where are we headed?"

"_Your destination is there," _she said, pointing toward a looming, cone shaped mountain in the distance, _"A long dormant volcano. My sensors indicate that the element in question is somewhere in its depths. Seismic activity has made the exact location difficult to pinpoint, therefore I will require you to use your power ring as a secondary sensor for triangulation."_

"Got it," the green lantern general replied, "Be back soon, Aya, Jordan. C'mon, Red."

The lanterns' auras glowed green and red respectively, then they took off, flying towards the mountain.

Hal gave Aya a pat on the back, which earned him a questioning look from the computer.

"Good job. That should keep them away long enough. Just keep feeding coordinates that will lead those two in circles until we've finished. Then we'll make up some excuse about faulty sensor readings and bring them back."

"_Very well_."

"Now then, we've got some work to do…"

**End of Chapter 1**

**Hey guys! I'm back, sort of. Actually, I just recently discovered GL:TAS, and fell head over heels for it. It'll probably come as little surprise that the main attraction for me was Razer. He's just such an awesome character. Antiheroes like him always tug on my heart-strings. **

**Anyway, the series is still ongoing, so I didn't really want to tamper with the plot a lot. That's why this fic will be fairly short and play out sort of like a filler episode. I'm estimating we're only talking about three or four chapters, most of which I've already got written down. Mainly it'll just be a Razer/Kilowag fluff piece. **

**Anyway, be sure to add this story to your alerts. I might have the next chapter uploaded in a matter of hours, and I plan to finish the whole thing before next Saturday. **

**Thanks for reading! And make sure to review. **


	2. Busy

**GL: TAS fanfic**

** "A Day of Surprises"**

Synopsis: Hal sends Kilowag and Razer out on a mission while he and Aya stay behind on the ship working on a secret project. Mostly Kilowag/Razer dialoguing. No ships, just a good, clean sidestory. R&R plz. Told mostly from Razer's PoV.

***Disclaimer* I do not own the rights to GL:TAS or any of its characters. If anyone didn't already guess this, I think they need an IQ check.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Busy**

As Razer soared over the barren waste, he allowed his mind to wander. Flying was nice, but it wasn't really what he was looking for. He couldn't wait to land and begin a search on foot.

As they sped over the barren rocks below, Razer couldn't help but be reminded of the geography of his own home planet. The orange sky and jagged desert of rocks certainly looked familiar. All that was missing was a rising cloud of black, marking a distant army.

_But it wasn't always that way… _He caught himself thinking.

A vision of greenery briefly flashed before his eyes, but he quickly shoved the thought away. Plants and flowers always reminded him of _her…_

Those thoughts were definitely best avoided.

Razer glanced at Kilowag who checked a virtual map through his ring. The projection showed two green dots marking him and Razer rapidly approaching the massive cone of rock. Underneath the outline of the cone, multitudes of tiny lines and bubbles spider-webbed below, somehow all intricately connected. Razer guessed those must be the underground tunnels and caverns Aya had spoken of.

Sure enough, as the mountain came closer into view, he saw it was riddled with thousands of holes, some barely large enough a person could fit into and others large enough that they could probably fit the entire _Interceptor_. He had seen something similar to it once…a food their human companion ate known as "cheese" had a fair likeness.

"That volcano has as many holes as a Vigreal nest," Kilowag said to no one in particular, speaking for the first time since they had left the ship.

Razer rolled his eyes. The green brute had a habit of thinking aloud.

Landing near the mountain's base, Kilowag contacted the AI once more.

"A'right Aya, we're here. Now I need you to find us a route big enough for both Poozer and I that'll lead us toward the element."

Razer's nose wrinkled at the use of his detestable nickname.

"_Understood. Scale up two kilometers and enter this cavity." _

A pin-prick on Kilowag's map was highlighted with a marker.

"_It should lead you to the dormant mountain's core. From there, I will transmit further coordinates."_

Kilowag started ahead. "Come on, Poozer, you heard her."

"My _name _is not _Poozer_," the red snarled. Kilowag ignored him.

They found the opening without incident. The hole, about seven feet across, dropped down a ways before leveling off and becoming walkable. The green lantern lowered himself in first and then started forward at a slow trot, never once looking to make sure Razer was still behind him. Razer followed silently. The less Kilowag bothered him, the better in his opinion.

As they drew deeper into the mountain, visibility began to fade. In substitute of the natural light, both lanterns drew on their rings to create a soft illumination around them.

Soon, Razer was gratified to find what he had been hoping for. Rather than easily stretching forward, the pathway snaked in every imaginable direction, creating plentiful obstacles. Sometimes it arced upwards making their progress a climb. At other times the way was blocked by slabs of wall that Aya instructed they break through to find the next accessible route. In any case, both Kilowag and Razer were getting the workout they had been hoping for.

However, the deeper into the volcano they got, the more their path cleared. Without something to occupy themselves with besides walking, the silence between the two became more pronounced. Uncomfortable.

Finally, Kilowag couldn't take it anymore.

"Aya, any change in the coordinates?"

"_Negative. Continue through this tunnel for the time being." _

The green grunted.

"Tired already, _general_?"

"You wish, Poozer. I just thought we would have found it by now."

Silence. Razer hoped it would stay that way. It didn't.

"What's your problem anyway, kid? Does everything always have to be gloom and sarcasm with you?"

Razer's eye twitched.

"You're one to talk. When was the last time _you_ had anything positive to say? Almost every instance I hear you open your mouth it's to complain or _criticize_."

Kilowag's ears once again flattened to his head in frustration.

This was going to be a long walk…

* * *

Back at the _Interceptor_, Aya was still at work on the projects Hal had given her when the ship's auxiliary sensors picked up a small anomaly. She got up from what she was doing to find Hal and inform him.

She found the human in the ship's central "multi-purpose" room. One of the side panels was folded out to act as a counter-top. Spread out on this surface were multiple containers and platters. Hal stood in front of this assembly with a particularly large bowl cradled in one arm. In his other hand was what appeared to be a spoon, but Aya could not be sure, for attached to the end of it was a sticky, viscous blob of gray that, even as she watched, Hal stuck back in the bowl and used to wrestled with the mixture within.

"Thank goodness you're here, Aya," he said, spotting her. "Think you can give me a hand with this?"

"_Yes, but I have news that may be of some concern to Razer and general Kilowag—"_

"What? They're not coming back yet are they?"

"_No, however—"_

Behind Hal, one of the other bowls on the table suddenly exploded, sending a cloud of green particles into the air.

"SHOOT! I knew that didn't look right. Hurry, Aya! Grab it and clean up the spill while I try to make sure this gunk doesn't do the same thing."

Following his instruction, she rushed to stabilize Hal's concoction. He continued issuing instructions, all the while occupying his own bowl. She didn't have a chance to get out what she had been meaning to say.

_Oh well… I am sure it will not matter right now. Hal Jordan will be informed at the first available opportunity._

**End of Chapter 2**

* * *

**As this is released, Chapter 3 about halfway done. Expect it to be out before the night is over. **

**Also, please make sure to review if you like it, even if it's just to say "Good fic". I eat that stuff up. **


	3. Chatter

**GL: TAS fanfic**

** "A Day of Surprises"**

Synopsis: Hal sends Kilowag and Razer out on a mission while he and Aya stay behind on the ship working on a secret project. Mostly Kilowag/Razer dialoguing. No ships, just a good, clean sidestory. R&R plz. Told mostly from Razer's PoV.

***Disclaimer* I do not own GL: TAS or any of its characters. I do however own my awesome brain that came up with all the rest of this stuff. And you mayn't have it. **

* * *

**Chapter 3: Chatter**

In the tunnels, Razer and Kilowag were arguing.

"I'm _telling_ you, we've already been _through_ this way!" Razer spat.

"And I'm telling _you_, that you're _WRONG_! I got these coordinates straight from Aya! Do you really think that our superiorly intelligent AI unit is leading us astray?"

"No, I think _you _are! Just have her relay the coordinates to me instead. _I'll_ figure them out."

This same bickering session stretched out for the past half hour. They had been down in the mountain's tunnels for nearly two now, and were quickly nearing their third.

"Fine! Aya, send Poozer the coordinates you sent me and open the relay network to him."

After a couple of seconds, Razer's ring began to blink. He raised it in front of him and the same virtual map Kilowag had earlier appeared. He smirked in triumph.

"Aya, are we still on course to our destination, or have we been _led astray?_" the red lantern asked with a pointed look at his companion.

"_Negative," _came the smooth, computerized voice, _"You are on the correct track to your destination." _

Razer's face puckered into a scowl. Beside him, Kilowag chuckled in amusement.

"Who's wrong _now, _Poozer?"

"Shut up, just—"

"Shh!" said Kilowag.

"Don't you cut me off! I—"

"Quiet Red! Do you hear that?"

Razer's brows furrowed in confusion and he strained his ears, listening. Several moments passed, but all he heard was the soft scuffling his and Kilowag's boots made on the stone floor.

"What? There's nothing there," said Razer

But Kilowag didn't look convinced. He lifted his ring toward his face again.

"Aya, are you picking up anything besides us down in these tunnels?"

After several moments, the AI's voice came through again, only this time it had a slight, static-y sound.

"_Ne—ative. There –re no other life f—rms prese—t on –is -net_._"_

"What? Aya, you're coming across spotty."

"_My –pologies. Minor seis—ic active- seems – be inter—ing with my communi- -ystems."_

"Whatever, tell Jordan we'll be back as soon as we can."

"_Affir—tive."_

"It was probably just your overactive imagination," Razer said as Kilowag hung up. The older lantern fixed him another glare.

"I know what I heard, Red. Let's just keep moving. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can stop listening to your constant sarcasm."

* * *

The two lanterns managed another hour and a half in silence before it was broken once again by Kilowag.

"We must be getting pretty deep by now."

Thinking aloud again. Typical.

Kilowag looked at Razer expectantly.

"What, no witty comeback?"

"I thought you said you detested my sarcasm"

"Come on, Red. Don't you ever smile or laugh or somthin?"

"I have no possible incentive to. What have I to laugh about when I'm stuck on some backwater planet with two bumbling oafs and a defective AI unit?"

"Who you callin 'oaf', ya punk? You're no Mister sunshine yourself. Heck, I've eaten grubworms with more personality than you."

"You know nothing about me," Razer hissed.

"Well, that's hardly _my_ fault, Poozer. You haven't exactly opened up to me and Hal. How are we supposed to know anything about you or your past if you never tell us?"

Razer held his tongue, knowing if he answered it would only prompt further argument.

"…What _is _your past, anyway? Huh? How did you become a red lantern? What planet are you from? What was it like there?"

This earned another twitch of annoyance from his companion.

"I don't see _you_ lining up to offer this kind of personal information, _green _lantern."

This stopped Kilowag for a moment. Several more minutes passed in silence between the two. Razer held out hope that the older lantern would not resume the conversation, but was not surprised when his hopes were disappointed.

"Alright, point taken. What about just general, impersonal stuff though?"

"I still don't see how that's any of your business."

"But if I shared, would you?"

Frankly, Razer had no desire to share at all. But if he declined outright, he doubted Kilowag would let it go.

"Perhaps…"

The green lantern's ears perked up slightly. This wasn't the answer he had been expecting.

"Alright, let's test that."

Razer groaned internally.

Kilowag noticed his expression.

"Hey, don't give me that. You said you would."

"I said I _might."_

"Well then give me a chance to ask a question before you turn your nose up at it."

"Hmph."

Razer waited expectantly as Kilowag pondered what to ask the red lantern first.

"Let's start with something simple. What color was the sky on your planet?"

Harmless enough.

"A lot like the one on this planet. Orange…but with a slight red tinge."

There. Now the pig had to keep his word.

"Huh…interesting. My planet's sky used to be sort of blue. Kind of like Shir Rev's…"

Razer flinched at the mention of the late green lantern, whose death had been largely his own fault. From behind, he saw Kilowag's shoulders tense as he realized what he had said. Razer knew the other lantern's mind must be filled with anger and blame directed at him, but when Kilowag spoke again, his voice reflected none of this.

"Okay, next question…" he said, then trailed off.

When he didn't resume the question, Razer prompted him.

"Next question?"

"Did you not hear that, Red?"

"Hear wha….? Are you still going on about that? I don't hear anything."

"It's not there anymore, but I'm sure I heard it."

Kilowag pulled up his ring again.

"Aya, run another scan of these tunnels."

Silence.

"Aya?"

More silence.

"Aya, do you read me?"

"It's no use. If she could hear you, she would have answered by now. Our connection must be broken."

"I don't like this…" Kilowag murmured, "Maybe…maybe we should head back."

"Nonsense. My map's still working. If we go back now, we will have to come all the way back down here. We should quickly complete our search. I'm sure it's just the depth that's blocking the signal. We'll be able to get in contact again once we move closer to the surface."

Kilowag nodded, but he didn't look convinced.

"Come on," Razer prompted, "We must be close by now." He nudged past his partner and continued down the tunnel.

"Right…" Kilowag sighed, following after him.

"So where were we…"

**End of Chapter 3**

* * *

**There, kept my promise. Three chapters in one day. BOOYEAH. **

**Don't hold out hope that chapter 4 will be out tonight. Again, it's mostly written, and I'll try to write some more of it now, but it probably won't be up till tomorrow afternoon. It'll be longer than the other chapters though, and probably the most exciting. **

**Review please. Every time you review, a young author gets their first pencil. **


	4. Collapse

**GL: TAS fanfic**

** "A Day of Surprises"**

Synopsis: Hal sends Kilowag and Razer out on a mission while he and Aya stay behind on the ship working on a secret project. Mostly Kilowag/Razer dialoguing. No ships, just a good, clean sidestory. R&R plz. Told mostly from Razer's PoV.

***Disclaimer* I do not own own GL:TAS or any of its...you know what. Forget this. You know what it'll say. Just start reading the chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Collapse**

"So tell me about your powers as a red lantern. How do they work? What does it feel like when you use them?"

Kilowag figured this was probably a safe question. He'd long given up asking the rookie lantern about his personal life. Each time he did, Razer either skirted around the question or outright refused to answer. Obviously, that was a touchy subject for him. But in all honesty, Kilowag didn't really want to divulge personal details about his life on Bolovax Vik, so maybe it was for the best.

Razer stared ahead considering, which was good. It meant he was going to answer.

"You've seen my constructs before," he replied, at length, "They're powerful but…rough. I can still do the same things you greens do, but with varying levels of success. Overall, the red energy is more like a wave than a solid substance. For instance, it works well as a weapon just by blasting it out as a beam or a wave. However, it's not as simple to use as a shield."

Kilowag nodded intently.

"As for how it feels, I'd have thought that would be obvious. It's like my rage and hatred wells up from inside me and is forced out through the ring. Then I can make it take whatever form I imagine, as long as my anger and concentration are strong enough."

Razer went silent again, meaning he was done answering. Now it was Kilowag's turn. By now, he knew the kid wouldn't be satisfied if Kilowag's explanation was shorter than his own, so he made sure to elaborate.

"Well yeah. I've noticed how your energy seems to ripple like it's a liquid. The green energy of willpower is always solid, just like the emotion. The stronger your will, the stronger the constructs. A weak will makes for a poor green lantern. You've seen for yourself how hard-headed we are."

Razer nodded. That he had.

"When we use the rings, we try not to let any emotions get in the way though. Interferes with the willpower, ya know. Oh sure, we can still channel it when we're angry or scared, but it's much weaker. That's why typically the requirement for being a green lantern is to be fearless."

There. Kilowag figured that should be enough.

Razer nodded, then surprised Kilowag by asking a question of his own for the first time.

"You say 'typically'…have there been exceptions to this rule?"

"Well…uh… yeah. Once or twice, anyway. Actually, when I first met Jordan, I thought that would get him kicked out."

"Hal Jordan is susceptible to fear?"

"Heck yeah. Compared to me and most other green lanterns, the guy's an emotional tornado."

Razer highly doubted that. Hal usually seemed the more reasonable of the two.

"But even when he's afraid, Hal always manages to overcome it. He's unique, that one."

Once Kilowag went quiet, Razer realized he had asked a question that had no equivalent he could answer and briefly worried that the other lantern would use this as leverage to try and probe deeper into his life. But Kilowag just continued thinking of new questions, not mentioning the lapse.

"Alright Red, here's a good one. If the universe were to end tomorrow, what would you do?"

"Die."

"That's not what I mean and you know it! C'mon Poozer, there must be something you would want to do if you only had one day left."

Razer snorted quietly. "The only thing that matters to me now is killing Atrocitous and ending his and the other Red Lanterns' domination of the galaxy. I will commit myself to that until the bitter end."

Kilowag grunted in aggravation, "Okay, but if the universe is ending, that means he and the Red Lanterns would be dead by the next day too, along with all other life forms! There has to be something else. What would you do for fun?"

Razer thought about that for a long moment before realizing he really didn't have an answer. Things like fun and his own well-being had ceased to matter to him a long time ago. It was before becoming a Red Lantern, even, that such thoughts had entered his mind. Razer flashed back to the days before Illana died. Even then, he hadn't concerned himself with personal enjoyment. In a life where battles were constantly raging around him, it was all he could do to worry about surviving and protecting Illana. Food and fresh water were scarce. Safe places to sleep were scarcer. And seeking out these things left no time for trivialities like laugher. There was no more room for indulgence in his old life than there was now.

_But that's none of this bumbling oaf's concern. He should keep his overgrown snout_ _out of my business._

After several minutes of silence, Kilowag realized he wasn't going to get an answer.

"Well then, if you won't answer, I'll tell you what I'd do-"

"Oh yes, please do bore me with the meaningless details…"

"I'd spend my last day enjoying myself alongside everyone I care about—eating some delicious Smaagoff and swapping stories with my friends. Don't you have any friends, Poozer?

Razer didn't answer. Instead, he attempted to ignore Kilowag as the green lantern prattled on for several more minutes about fishing for Urkeel and Swoondabash racing and all manner of other incomprehensible nonsense.

"—HEY!"

Razer snapped out of his reverie and turned on the older lantern with a scowl.

"WHAT!"

"I _SAID_, do you _HEAR_ that?"

"What are you talking abou—"

But Razer did here it now—a strange, fizzling rumble emanating from the dark tunnel behind them. As he listened, it grew to a dull roar. The rock beneath Razer's feet began to tremble. The air rushed out of his chest and his heart skipped a beat.

"MOVE, RED!"

Kilowag shoved him roughly forward before barreling ahead at top speed himself. Shocked back into action, Razer dashed after him, but somehow despite the green's considerable mass, he still left the red lantern in the dust. The roar behind Razer now drowned out all other sound. The tunnel gave a sudden quaking lurch, and he lost his feet, toppling to the ground.

"—ED!"

Kilowag's glowing green form illuminated the cavernous walls ahead. He stood roughly twenty yards away, just outside the lip of the collapsing tunnel.

"—ET UP!"

But Razer already knew it was no use. Even as he got to his feet, huge chunks of the ceiling began to give way and fall to the tunnel floor, obstructing his escape route and pelting him with gravel.

In a last ditch effort, Razer lifted his power ring upward. He shot a glowing arc of light that spanned the distance between him and Kilowag, preventing further collapse of the ceiling. The moment his construct was complete however, its full weight slammed down on Razer's shoulders. He was forced back to his knees, unable to move. Paralyzed by the thousands of pounds of stone above.

_It's over. This is how it will end…crushed under a pile of rock in this miserable foreign galaxy. _

_Curse you, Atrocitous. _

_Goodbye…Illana…_

* * *

Kilowag was frozen to the spot, watching in horror as the weight of the mountain forced Razer back to his knees, knowing that the kid had no chance of escape. It was only a matter of seconds before his constructs shattered and he was buried alive a few yards from where the Green Lantern now stood. Seconds that Kilowag would have seared into his memory forever.

As a general, Kilowag was no stranger to death. He had witnessed many a soldier perish in the line of duty, knowing all the while there was nothing he could do to save them. Each image still haunted him. A young Tarvan bleeding uncontrollably on a makeshift gurney. A veteran recruit from the O'ka galaxy screaming in agony as gravity's vicegrip drew him towards the sun. A female Gorga, barely older than a hatchling, gurgling—her six broken appendages twisted in unnatural, jutting angles.

The worst part about each one to Kilowag was their eyes. Each dilated pupil possessed the same frenzied terror. The same pleading.

_Why me? Why here and now? It hurts! Help me! Why won't you help me! I don't want to die!_

Despite the darkness of the cavern, Kilowag could see Razer's eyes now, illuminated by the intermingled glow of red and green energy. They saw Kilowag, but strangely they held no fear or pleading. They were hollow…hopeless.

_Resigned_.

At that moment something passed between them. Kilowag knew Razer was going to die. Razer knew Razer was going to die. Both knew that the other knew Razer was going to die.

But for some reason, Razer was okay with that. He wasn't going to call out or beg for help. He didn't want it.

_Why?_

..._Is it pride?_

Even as the thought entered Kilowag's mind, he knew that wasn't it.

_Then what?_

But in this split second, that one glance stabbed something in Kilowag's chest.

It was an unidentifiable feeling. And yet it was somehow infinitely more sad than any other death he'd witnessed.

It was a brief moment of inexplicable insight.

_Those are the eyes of the single most lonely, wretched soul in the universe. Eyes that believe there's nothing out there worth living for. _

_Eyes that are already dead. _

And then, though there was no real logic behind it, Kilowag was angry.

"_HELL _NO, IT'S NOT OVER TILL _I_ SAY SO!"

* * *

Razer's eyes widened in shock as the giant Green barreled back into the tunnel, abandoning his safety.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! YOU'RE CRAZY!" Razer yelled.

Kilowag seemed not to have heard though. In two seconds he was at Razer's side.

"GO BACK, I—"

"JUST SHUT UP AND HOLD THAT CONSTRUCT, RED!"

"WHAT ARE YOU—"

Without another word, Razer was scooped off of the ground into Kilowag's arms. Despite the added weight from the ceiling, somehow the Green Lantern managed to lift him. The tunnel's roar grew louder. Razer's red constructs strained under an added pressure.

Razer couldn't process what was going on. The din of the collapsing earth drowned out all else. The jarring shake of the mountain mingled with Kilowag's lurching stride. The mouth of the tunnel was ten yards away. Seven. Five.

Then an ear-splitting _CRACK _resounded, followed by Razer's scream as an impossible weight split through his shoulder. Kilowag stumbled under the force and both fell to the ground. Darkness engulfed everything as both red and green glows were extinguished.

The tunnel collapsed.

* * *

Razer dreamt of a place filled with rocks. Only, there was nothing deadly about these rocks. The gray slate slabs arcing over him were perfectly stable and harmless. He knew they wouldn't fall and crush him.

He also knew he was here searching for something. Not for ship repair materials, but for a person.

_Illana…where are you?_

Razer's gaze searched the glade he stood in. It was one of the few places in this desolate region that supported plant life naturally. What little water fell in the area ran downhill and collected here. The grey slabs of rock above provided enough shade to keep it from evaporating under the harsh sun's rays. Yet they allowed enough light filtering through that small, creeping plants could survive. He had discovered this oasis years ago when seeking out shelter from a particularly violent raid.

Small, glowing flower bulbs swayed placidly in the twilight, faintly illuminating a figure crouching just ahead. Hearing him approach, the familiar shape turned and smiled gently up at him.

"_Razer…"_

"_Illana, what are you doing here? I told you not to come."_

The figure's features fell slightly in dejection.

"_This place isn't safe for us anymore," Razer continued, "The warlords and their armies are getting closer every day. We have to move on_ _now."_

"_I know. I'm sorry. It's just…I couldn't leave without saying one last goodbye. This place…I have so many fond memories of us here."_

"_It's just another hiding spot…I'll find another just as good, you'll see."_

A small smile tugged at the corner of Illana's lips.

"_Oh Razer, you're always geared towards survival. I wish that at least on a special day like this you could relax…"_

"_It's just the same as any other day…don't worry." _He pulled her close in an embrace. _"As long as I have you by my side, every day is special."_

This time the smile that touched Illana's lips had a hint of sadness.

"_But Razer…today is—"_

"-ed…"

Something tugged on the edge of his conciousness…a voice?

"Red…-ake up…"

His head suddenly ached, and other physical pains arose as if out of a deep fog.

"Ugh…"

"So you're alive, huh? You should be thanking the Guardians…We were in deep Un'tug splat back there. Just barely made it…"

Razer recognized that gravelly voice.

"Kilo…wag?" he cracked his eyes open just slightly. At first it was too dark to make anything out, but Razer slowly recognized a slight green glow surrounding the lantern general.

"Finally awake, huh?"

Razer tried to push himself up off the ground, but at the slightest pressure, his ring arm protested with a sharp pain, making him gasp audibly.

"Take it easy, Poozer. I think you got injured in that final moment when the ceiling gave way."

That final deafening "crack" and the following pain that erupted through his body all came flooding back to the red lantern now, along with the events that had led up to that moment. For a moment, he was simply overwhelmed.

_I'm alive…_

_That dopey Lantern actually saved my life…_

"You're…crazy," he managed to rasp.

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard it all before. Crazy's part of the job description. For now, we need to focus on getting out of here though."

"What about…ship repairs?"

"You're in no state to go lookin' for spare parts now, Red. I'm taking you back to the ship, pronto."

Seeing as he could barely move, Razer assented. Kilowag took the Red Lantern's uninjured arm and swung it over his shoulder, wrapped his own massive arm around Razer's waist. Floating several inches off the ground the two headed for an exit.

* * *

They wove through cavern after cavern. Kilowag seemed to know exactly where they were going, so Razer didn't question him.

For a long time there was silence. The pain in Razer's arm made his thoughts blurry, but he was coherent enough to realize the general was being purposefully gentle with him.

_It doesn't make sense… Why treat me with kindness? I am a red lantern. I am a prisoner of war. I killed one of his fellow green lanterns. He hates me. He _should _hate me. So… _

Razer's dry lips cracked as he rasped out a single word.

"Why?"

Kilowag's ears perked up, "Why what?"

"You know perfectly well what. Why did you come back for me? It was almost certain suicide."

Kilowag was quiet. Razer didn't expect this. Usually, he was the one dishing out the silent treatment. The green lantern, on the other hand, always seemed to have a reply ready instantly.

When Kilowag did answer, it was only half-heartedly.

"That's a green lantern's job, kid. We put our own well-being last."

"You lie. That is not the real reason. I've heard of the philosophy of your lantern core. You are supposed to put the 'greater good' above all else. Rescuing me does not earn you that. If your 'greater good' is to stop the red lanterns, you jeopardized that by running back for me. If you had of died, Hal Jordan would have been left to fight them on his own."

Razer felt Kilowag flinch, realizing the truth in the younger lantern's words.

Kilowag was quiet for another long time. Then he spoke again.

"Look kid…I don't…. I didn't want to see you die. I've witnessed enough death in my career without adding you to the list. And beside that…me and Jordan…we need you, Red. You aren't the most orthodox ally, but you're part of the team now. And we green lanterns always have each others' backs."

Razer considered his words.

"Besides that, you shouldn't be so eager to die, Poozer. Death finds everyone soon enough anyways without them goin' looking for it."

There seemed to be some kind of emotion behind Kilowag's words, but Razer couldn't quite make it out. _Sorrow? Softness? _He could only guess.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, the two lanterns finally emerged from the mountain tunnels to be greeted by the orange sky. At the moment, it was the best reception either could have asked for. Heaving a relieved sigh, Kilowag set Razer down on an outcrop of rock while he contacted Jordan.

"Hey Hal, you there?" He spoke into his ring. It pulsed with light as the human's voice came through.

"Kilowag? Yeah. What's up?"

"We had a bit of a situation. One of the tunnels down there collapsed."

Hal's voice came back fraught with worry.

"Collapsed! No way! Are you two all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Red's a little beat up though. Have Aya prep the infirmary for when we get back."

"You're coming back now?"

"Of course! Did you think we was gonna stay with him injured and the roof possibly falling down on us at any minute?" Kilowag half yelled.

"Uh…Right. Yeah. Okay, hurry back. I'll have everything ready when you return."

Kilowag snorted as Hal dropped the connection. "C'mon Poozer, let me help you."

Razer lifted his uninjured arm to wave Kilowag off.

"I will be able to make my own way from here. Your assistance is unnecessary."

Kilowag looked like he was about to protest, but seeing the steel in the rookie's eyes, he remained quiet.

Razer hovered a few inches off the ground and then slowly drifted toward the _Interceptor. _Though he couldn't see Kilowag, he knew the lantern was only a few feet behind him, purposefully not flying ahead. Razer hated that. It made him feel like a burden. He knew he was being stupid to refuse help in his condition though, so he didn't tell Kilowag to go on without him—merely tolerated his uncomfortable presence.

Several minutes passed in this way. The pain in Razer's arm and back grew from a troubling throb in the back of his mind to a constant ache that blurred his vision and left him disoriented. Before he realized what was happening, he was drifting off sideways.

At the same time he realized this, a support pressed against him, bringing him back upright. Nothing was said, but Razer didn't have to look to know it was the other lantern. Instead of protesting, he accepted the aid wordlessly. This came half as a surprise to Kilowag, but he still refrained from comment. Speeding up slightly, they flew towards the _Interceptor _together.

**End of Chapter 4**

* * *

**Teehee, I lied. Somehow I managed to finish chapter four in the same night. I'm like a fanfiction goddess, right? **

**This chapter ended up about as long as the other three put together. **

**So how was that for fluffy? Come on, you know you loved it. **

**Anyway, it's not over yet! After all, now it's time to find out what Hal and Aya have been up to. There's still one more chapter yet to come that will be titled "Surprise". Hopefully it will be out sometime tomorrow. **

**Please review! I'm really interested to hear what people think about this. **


	5. Surprise

**GL: TAS fanfic**

** "A Day of Surprises"**

Synopsis: Hal sends Kilowag and Razer out on a mission while he and Aya stay behind on the ship working on a secret project. Mostly Kilowag/Razer dialoguing. No ships, just a good, clean sidestory. R&R plz. Told mostly from Razer's PoV.

***Disclaimer* I don't own the rights to GL: TAS or any of its characters. However, if this was soviet Russia, we could all just share the rights equally and be happy. Jk.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Surprise**

At the _Interceptor, _Hal was waiting for them on the entrance ramp.

"Wow, you don't look so good," he addressed Razer. The red lantern didn't have enough energy for a biting comeback, which left the human even more concerned.

"Aya's waiting in the infirmary," he continued, "She'll get you fixed up."

Kilowag guided Razer into the central room where, just as Hal had said, the android was waiting with a pull-out cot and medical kit. She prompted Kilowag to set Razer on it while she began scanning for injuries.

The red lantern noticed something strange almost immediately about the multi-purpose room. His nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Ugh…what is that repulsive odor?"

Kilowag took two loud sniffs, "Huh…that's weird. I'm sure it didn't smell like this before we left."

"Turn on the central air vents, Aya. It reeks."

"I dunno, it doesn't smell half bad to me," Kilowag returned. He made eye contact with Razer for the first time since they got back to the _Interceptor_.

"Well…uh. I guess I better go talk to Hal about what happened back there and figure out our next course of action," said the general. He headed through the automatic doorway and into the control room without another word, leaving Razer and Aya alone.

"_For this inspection, I will require that you relinquish your armor."_

The red lantern grimaced, but did as he was asked.

Letting go of the red power was…uncomfortable, to say the least. It left him feeling hollow and vulnerable. If Razer was separated from his ring, it was downright painful.

Secretly, Razer envied the green lanterns that their power seemed so easy to give up. Someday, he knew that for the red lantern threat to be truly eliminated, he would have to give up his power for good as well. A part of him truly dreaded that day. Not just because it would mean losing the red power and the freedom it gave him, but because it would only be after he had made sure the threat Atrocitous posed was gone for good.

And then his life would be meaningless.

He would have absolutely no purpose. No present. No future.

And he would be alone…

Razer wrenched himself away from this line of thought.

_It's no use thinking that far ahead, anyway. In all likelihood, I'll perish long before that day comes._

Aya was preparing a sling for his arm when her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"_I am sorry you were injured, Razer. I feel that I am to blame."_

The red lantern turned his eyes on her.

"What for? It was just an accident. It could have happened to anyone."

"_Affirmative, but it could have been avoided. My sensors detected the seismic activity early on and calculated that a possibility of structural collapse in the volcano existed; however, because I chose to perform the task appointed by green lantern Hal Jordan before speaking of it, this was allowed to occur."_

Razer sighed. He couldn't really be angry at her. The machine was just following its programming.

"Well, there's nothing you can do about it now. Just make sure it doesn't happen again in the future."

"_Affirmative. I will exercise more caution."_

Razor thought about that for a few moments.

"Aya…just what was it that Jordan had you doing that kept you from alerting us?"

"_I—"_

There was a loud exclamation from the control room. Razer easily recognized Kilowag's angry voice.

"Say _WHAT!_"

There was the sound of an ensuing argument between the two green lanterns.

"What was that all about?" Razer asked, slightly alarmed. _Was there a new problem?_

"_It would appear that green lantern Kilowag is taking the news poorly."_

"What news?"

The automatic door slid open before Aya could answer. Kilowag tramped back in, followed closely by Hal.

"I've got some bad news, kid," he said, addressing Razer, "You know that 'element' we were supposed to be after? Well, now according to Jordan, the thing didn't even exist! Apparently, the same seismic activity that was causing our communication line to go wacky and made that tunnel collapse also messed with the compository scans the ship took. Whole thing was one big fluke!"

Razer's eyes widened slightly. He didn't know how to feel about this. On one hand, he had nearly died for nothing. But on the other, he was just kind of glad he wouldn't have to be going back underground.

Razer didn't make any kind or reply though. His head and muscles were still throbbing so badly that he couldn't really think straight. He just hoped Aya would give him something to make his pain ease up a bit.

"—Anyway, since that's the case, we'll be leaving this miserable planet immediately."

As he said this, Razer noticed a strange look on Jordan's face…

_Chagrin? _

But Razer nodded. The sooner they left, the better as far as he was concerned.

* * *

Aya continued bandaging Razer's wounds as the ship lightly shuddered to life and took off. In minutes, the young planet was just a disappearing speck on the horizon.

"_You may now resume the use of your power ring," _said Aya as she completed her handiwork.

Razer did so gratefully as she instructed what he should do to care for his injuries. On the whole, he hadn't been hurt nearly as bad as he could have been. Razer had plenty of scrapes and bruises from the fall, but the worst was the injury to his ring side arm. Aya explained that the force of the tunnel's collapse nearly tore the appendage out of its socket. However, his construct must have shattered just short of it ripping his muscles to shreds.

Other than that, there was a sizable lump on the back of his head that must have resulted after Kilowag fell with the red lantern still in his arms. Though it still throbbed painfully, the AI assured him it would not cause any kind of concussion. Then she gave him a small tablet she claimed would help ease his pain.

"_All that your recovery will require now is medication and bed rest." _Aya smiled.

_Rest…_

Razer's eyelids involuntarily drooped an inch. Before now, he hadn't realized just how tired he was.

Razer moved back toward the pull-out cot, planning to follow her advice immediately, but to his surprise the android folded it back into the wall and bid him to follow her to the control room.

_Odd…maybe she's suffering from some sort of malfunction…_

In any case, he went with the android, planning to show the other lanterns he was okay, then retire.

* * *

Hal and Kilowag were in their normal spots when he entered the room. Thankfully, this one smelled normal. Both greens acknowledged him with a slight nod.

Only moments after Razer resumed his seat on the bridge, Hal stood up, stretched, and made some muddled remark about "sacrificing" and "a porcelain god" that was gibberish to the other two. Then the human exited the room.

Exactly one minute later, like clockwork, Aya also stood and left the control room, this time without explanation.

As the automatic door slid closed behind her, Razer fidgeted slightly. Now he and Kilowag were alone again.

After what had transpired that day, there was a new tension between the two. It was obvious that in light of the recent events, they couldn't go back to treating each other exactly like they had before.

But how _should _they treat each other now? An unspoken question hovered in the air.

_What happens next?_

A tangible silence extended.

Part of Razer knew that he was going to have to make the first move. He even knew what he had to say, but the words were glued to his tongue.

_I can't…he'll make fun of me. I don't want to give him a chance to make me look like an idiot. _

_Oh who am I kidding…I am an idiot. _

_But I still won't say it…_

* * *

Kilowag never liked awkward situations like these. They made the skin on the back of his neck crawl. What he wanted more than anything right now was for Jordan to waltz back into the control room and break the tension.

When finally he couldn't stand it any longer, the green lantern opened his mouth to say something that would clear the air.

"_Thank you…"_

Kilowag froze. Those words weren't his own.

He turned to look at Razer. The red lantern's body was tensed and his gaze fixed resolutely out the window, avoiding Kilowag's eyes. But neither Aya nor Hal had re-entered the room, so there was no doubt who had spoken.

Kilowag knew his face must be a mask of shock, so he was glad Razer couldn't see it. He struggled to recover his thoughts.

"Oh..what? For today? It was nothin'…" Kilowag scratched the back of his head, looking down at the floor, "Anyway, I owed ya from before. Back when I was falling towards that pin-hole and all…"

Razer's body relaxed ever so slightly, but when he turned to meet the other lantern's eyes, his own were grim.

"No. That's not true. Both you and Hal Jordan saved my life when I was held captive on Shard. If ever you returned the favor, it was then. Therefore, I am in your debt."

The perplexed way Kilowag looked at him now defied the red lantern's expectations. He had assumed to be answered with ridicule or condescension. When these things didn't come and the general just stared at him, bewildered, Razer was left unsure of how to continue. His momentary directness broken, the red turned his head away in humiliation.

Kilowag thought for several minutes about what the younger lantern said. He was pretty sure Razer had never thanked him for _anything_ before. In fact, today the kid had done nothing but surprise him. The rookie was stubborn and hot-headed, sure, but in a way…

_He's sort of like me…_

Maybe…just maybe…Razer wasn't as bad as Kilowag had let himself believe.

When Kilowag replied, his voice was strangely soft.

"I'm not keepin' score, kid…"

Just then, the automated door glided open, causing Razer and Kilowag to jump slightly in their seats. It was only Aya, though.

"_Green lantern Hal Jordan requests that the two of you meet him in the central chamber immediately." _

_Now what? _

Without a word, Razer and Kilowag got up to follow her.

* * *

When they re-entered the multi-purpose room, Razer was stunned for just one moment by pure shock. It was as though he had stepped onto a new planet. Literally.

The domed walls of the room seemed to be completely gone. Instead, for what seemed like miles a foreign landscape stretched in every direction. Above, there was a crisp blue sky. In the distance snow-capped mountain peaks reached upward. Razer and Kilowag stood in what appeared to be a small meadow.

"What in Zark's name?" the general exclaimed.

Standing just a few feet away was Hal. The other lantern was wearing some sort of strange, green cone on his head. Aya walked up beside him and he placed a matching one on her, tying it down with a string.

"What the blazes is the meaning of this Jordan?" Kilowag bellowed, although not from anger but shock.

The human laughed at his bewildered facial expression.

"Surprise! Happy birthday, Kilowag!"

Kilowag and Razer's faces fell slack.

"Birthday? What're you talkin' about Jordan, it's not…" Kilowag counted in his head and his eyes lit up, "Wait a second…you're right. It is, isn't it?"

"_Indeed," _said Aya.

Kilowag shook his head as if to clear it. "But how did you know? Even I didn't remember…"

"_He accessed the information from my databases. Hal Jordan seemed to think it was very important."_

"That true, Hal?"

The jet pilot scratched the back of his neck self-conciously, "Yeah. It's true. You see, back from where I come on Earth, we make a real special occasion out of someone's birthday. They're given gifts by their friends and eat good food and wear stuff like this,"

He pointed to his ridiculous green hat and handed another one to Kilowag. The general sniffed it suspiciously, then, with a shrug, placed it on his head.

"So what is all this anyway?" Kilowag asked, motioning to the landscape around them.

"It's your birthday present! A holo-template I had Aya whip up. Doesn't it look familiar?"

Razer watched as the older lantern's brows furrowed in thought. Then his eyes widened with recognition.

"Wait a sec…is this?"

"_Bolovax Vik" _said Aya, _"Or rather, a model of it I assembled from the data in my archives."_

Kilowag beamed as he took in the sight, looking strangely emotional.

"I recognize it now…those mountains…the sky…It's like I'm home again…"

"Thought you would like it, big guy."

And Razer knew from the look on his face that Kilowag really did. The emotion his features showed made the red lantern a little embarrassed to look, so he averted his gaze.

He could see the attraction of this blue planet. The colors were admittedly quite beautiful. Soft pink bulbs lilted back and fourth on the virtual ground. They seemed so real Razer sniffed at the air. Something he immediately regretted.

_UGH… What IS that SMELL?_

Hal caught sight of the face Razer made and remembered something.

"Oh yeah! Wait here a sec, Kilowag. I've got one other thing for you."

* * *

When Jordan came back, he was toting a large platter. On it rested a large, gelatinous glob of gray slime.

Razer gagged. A stench unlike any other permeated the room, obviously emanating from this goop.

However, Kilowag inhaled deeply, sighing with pleasure.

"Aaah… I'd know that heavenly smell anywhere. Hal, is that Ga'argush?"

"S-sure is…," said the other green lantern, struggling not to breathe in.

"_I also found this in my data archives. It was a celebratory food on your planet that was the closest equivalent I could find to the earthen food 'birthday cake'."_

"Heheh, thanks Aya! You did great. I love Ga'argush. Haven't had it in years…"

He stuck his finger into the gray mass, pulled our a small blob of the sludge, and popped it into his mouth.

"Mmmm… just like I remember it…"

"Aya did most of the cooking. I made a mess of it when I tried."

"Thanks Aya," Kilowag said, addressing the android, "And you too Hal. This…this means the world to me…"

The older lantern sniffed loudly. Hal set the Ga'argush down on a table Aya pulled up from the floor and patted Kilowag on the back.

"Hey, c'mon, buddy. Don't do that. Your food will get cold—err—warm."

Kilowag nodded, and both green lanterns took a seat at the table. Aya left the room briefly and then returned with some food for Hal before sitting down beside them.

Razer stood awkwardly to the side, not really knowing what to do. He realized that now there was no longer a reason for him to stick around, and he could easily slip out at any moment without the other three caring in the slightest.

Besides that, his aching body yearned to seek out the comfort of his own bed.

But…why did another part of him want to linger?

Kilowag briefly looked up from his food and noticed the red was still standing there.

"Wanna sit down and try some of this, Poozer?" he said, motioning to the gray slime. "It's good."

Razer furrowed his nose.

"No thank you. Even if I could digest it, which something tells me I can't, I'm not hungry. I don't need to eat as often as you two."

But instead of leaving, Razer used this as an invitation to sit down beside the other lanterns and Aya. Neither Kilowag nor Hal commented on this, just carried on with their food and conversation as if nothing was different.

As both green lanterns finished eating, their conversation became more animated. Hal and Kilowag took turns telling stories about home, travel, and colleagues. Some of the initial awkwardness Razer felt about sitting between them began to melt away, and he eventually joined in. Most of the input was still Hal's or Kilowag's, but occasionally Razer would throw in a question or snide remark. The greens took it in stride, laughing off the sarcasm and throwing in their own quips.

And then, the strangest part of all was that Razer began to feel…_warmth_.

It started slowly, building up in his chest. Then it crept throughout the rest of his body with a tingling sensation. Undoubtedly, it was some side effect of the exhaustion and trauma of that day…

But it left him…oddly happy. For the first time in a long while, he sat without worrying about the past or the future. All that occupied his mind was the joke Kilowag was telling and the way Hal laughed, clutching his sides and doubling over.

Being here...sitting alongside these people…it felt _right_.

* * *

Razer had long lost track of how much time had past. Thirty minutes? An hour? Two?

His eyelids were drooping so low now it took a conscious effort to hold them open. Kilowag issued forth a massive yawn.

"Time for bed, I think," said Hal.

The older lantern grunted and got to his feet. So did Razer. Each one of them began heading for their respective rooms.

"Thanks again for the party, Hal," said Kilowag, "When did you manage to put all this together, anyway?"

"Well, I had just enough time while you and Razer were out searching for that phony element."

Kilowag's eyes widened suddenly as he (finally) put two and two together, then they narrowed into slits.

"_Waaaaaait _a second…."

Hal gulped. _Uh oh…_

"Jordan…did you…?"

"Uh, night guys!" the human said, hurrying out the door.

"_JoooordaaaAAAN!"_

* * *

As the voices faded behind him, Razer realized just how late it must be into the "night" hours of his sleeping schedule. His small, unadorned bunk looked far more inviting than it had any right to. Careful not to disturb the sling on his arm, he sank into it gratefully.

Aya's voice emanated from the walls around him.

"Good night, Razer. I wish you 'sweet dreams'."

Being told "sweet dreams" by a robot was so absurd that the side of his lip nearly curved up in a half smile, but his exhaustion got the better of him.

The AI unit dimmed the lights in his chamber.

Razer fell asleep almost instantly, but just before losing conciousness, an old memory of this same calendar day many years ago crept its way back into his mind. This time, his lips did crack a faint smile.

_Razer took one last look at the small oasis he and Illana had called home. Just then there was a small tug on his arm. He looked down at Illana's face. She smiled mischievously. _

"_I have a surprise for you, Razer," she teased, "Now, close your eyes."_

_He did._

"_Good, now put out your hands."_

_He held them out._

_There was a faint rustling sound and something soft was placed in his outstretched palms. _

"_Alright, you can open them now."_

_As Razer opened his eyes, he perceived in his hands what appeared to be a halo made of light. After several awestruck moments, he realized the bright pin-pricks were tiny glowing flowers, woven together by their stems. How the thin, fragile filaments had been braided so finely he couldn't fathom. Only incredible patience and skill could have accomplished it. Only Illana…_

_He looked up into her beautiful eyes. Tears were brimming there. With a start, he realized they they were filling his own as well."_

"_Oh Illana…"_

"_Happy Birthday…Razer."_

**End of "A Day of Surprises"**

* * *

**Well, that's all! Hope you guys liked it. Usually my fanfics stretch out pretty long, but I should this would make a cute little side story. **

**Now I'll address some things that might have needed explanation or clarification.**

**_For starters, I didn't do any dramatic reveals like having Razer tell Kilowag and Hal about his wife. The main reason for this is that I didn't want to go anywhere that I think the show producers probably will in the future. It seems very likely to me that somewhere in the series they'll have that moment themselves. And probably, the real writers will do a much better job at it than me. _****_In fact, almost every base I thought might come into conflict with later episodes was left untouched, or only mildly touched on._**

**_Secondly, I wanted to clear up what the deal was in chapter 2, in case anyone didn't already guess. The "abnormality" Aya's scans picked up was the presence of actual seismic activity. Before then, she had been lying about it. Of course, she didn't want to tell Razer or Kilowag before consulting Hal about it, fearing it might cause them to come back too early and mess up his surprise party._**

**_In chapter 3, when the static was cutting Aya's voice off, what she said first was _**

**"_Negative. There are no other life forms present on this planet."_**

**_Second_**

**"_My apologies. Minor seismic activity seems to be interfering with my communication systems."_**

**_And last_**

**"_Affirmative."_**

**_Third, the reason Hal and Kilowag didn't know it was Razer's birthday was because he never told anyone. Unlike Kilowag, his personal background isn't entered on Aya's data files. But the reason Hal still wanted to get him off the ship was because he was afraid the red lantern would think the idea of having a birthday party was stupid and blow his cover to Kilowag, insisting that they continue with their mission. _**

**_Fourth, The dream Razer had after the roof of the tunnel collapsed was actually a real memory of Illana from the same day and place as the one he had at the end of the fic._**

**_Fifth, I know it's kind of a long shot for Razer and Kilowag to have their birthdays fall on the same day. After all, living on different planets, they would have completely different calendar cycles, so the chances of it happening are like, one in a million. But if you ask me, that's just what makes it so cute. _**

**_Lastly, I want to explain why Aya couldn't find any time after the hours that Razer and Kilowag were in the tunnels to inform Hal about what her sensors picked up. It's because after she found Hal with his mess in the kitchen, he put her to work full time making Kilowag's "cake" and designing his present, the holo-template. Originally, Hal had planned to do those things himself, but found himself miserably bad at it. Finally, he just shoved it all on Aya. The only thing he did do? The paper cone "birthday" hats. Good job, Hal_**

**_They just barely managed to finish preparations for the party before Kilowag contacted Hal telling him that he and Razer were returning. _**

**Anyway, I hope everyone who read this liked it, or at least didn't think it was completely horrible. I really enjoyed writing this fic, so who knows, maybe I'll venture into the world of GL:TAS again in the future.**

**Finally, if you truly enjoyed this story, PLEASE TELL ME. Reviews make me oh so very, very happy. After I get them, I brag about it to all my friends.**

**Thanks for reading! Until next time, this is Gaaraxluvr, over and out.**


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